Girl · #7,004 in 2026

Zula

Name: Popularity of the name Zula in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Zula, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Zula is a small town in central Eritrea. It is situated near the head of Annesley Bay, on the Red Sea coast. Four kilometers away is the archeological site of Adulis, which was an emporium and the port of Axum.

Current Rank

#7,004

Peak Rank

#301 (1922)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

+17%

1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

1922

Peak Year

#301

Peak Rank

Total Count

101

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Zula

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history

The Eritrean Research Project Team composed of Eritrean , Canadian , American , Dutch and French scientists discovered a Paleolithic site with stone and obsidian tools dated to over 125,000 years old south of Massawa , along the Red Sea littoral. The tools are believed to have been used by early humans to harvest marine resources like clams and oysters . The local Saho call this place "Ado Lay", meaning "clear water", however this is probably in reference to the nearby site of Adulis , just situated 4 kilometers away from the town. In 1857, an agreement was entered into by the Dejazmach of Tig

The Story of Zula

Zula first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 27 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1922, when 127 Zulas were born — ranking #651 that year. As of 2026, Zula ranks #7,004 for baby girls with 16 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Zulas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Zula

Phonetically similar names — useful when Zula is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Zula

What does the name Zula mean?

How popular is Zula in 2026?

In 2026, Zula ranks #7,004 among girls' names in the U.S., with 16 babies given the name that year.

When was Zula most popular?

Zula reached its peak popularity in 1922, ranking #301 that year with 127 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Zula most popular?

Zula has historically been most popular in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Zula.

Is Zula a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Zula is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Zula?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Zula include Aline, Angelique, Madge. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Zula

Zula is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Zula's peak popularity came in 1922 when it ranked #301. Use the chart and map above to compare Zula's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.